the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen Psal 32. 1. whose sinne is couered and vnto whom the Lord impuâ—es not his iniquitie As hee that lay sicke sixe and thirty yeares of Luke 5. 25. the palsie arose with great ioy when Iâ—sus relieued him and he that was a creeple when he found that his feete which Acts 3. 8. had failed him so long did now serue him leaped for ioy and followed the Apostles into the Temple to praise God so that soule which findes it selfe freed from the guiltinesse and seruitude of sinne of all burthens that euer lay vpon man the heauiest to beare will with much more abundant ioy exult and triumph in that mercy of God vvhich hath made it free Secondly let the Apostle here stand vnto vs as an example Both by promises and examples doth the Lord confirme poore penitent sinners of the like mercy of God to be shewed vpon our selues how great sinners soeuer we haue beene if wee follow him in the like faith and repentance The Lord our God is not content by his word to promise mercy vnto penitent sinners but also confirmes vs by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs when we looke vpon them let our weakenesse be strengthened let vs not thinke that the Lord will close that doore of mercy vpon vs if we knock aright which hee hath opened to so many before vs hee who hath beene found of them who sought him not vvill he hide himselfe from vs if forsaking our sinnes wee seeke him in spirit and truth Let his mercies shewed to others be vnto vs as cordes of Loue to draw vs among the rest and Hos 11. 4. like oyntments powred out the sweet smell whereof may delight vs to runne after him for that meekenesse which is in thee O Lord Iesus we will follow thee we haue heard that thou despisedst not the poore sinner thou abhorredst not the penitent theefe nor the sinfull woman that powred out teares before thee nor the Cananitish woman that made supplication to thee nor the woman deprehended in adultrie nor him that sate at the receipt of custome thou abhorredst not the Disciple that denied thee yea the persecuter of thy Disciples thou receiuedst to mercy In odore horum Cant. 1. 3. vnguentorum curremus post te In the smell of these thy sweet oyntments we will runne after thee O Lord. But vvee are to marke that before the Apostle came to The Apostle fought long before he came to triumph 1 Cor. 2. 3. this triumphing hee vvas long exercised vvith fighting he confesseth to the Corinthians that his preaching vvas among them in great feare and trembling that in his personall conuersation he was beaten and buffeted with an Angell of Sathan that hee had terrours vvithin and fightings without and what terrours are wee to thinke did trouble him out of doubt the sight of his sinnes the greatnesse of the iudgement to come did terrifie him whereof we are warned how wee must fight before wee triumph and mourne How can they triumph that haue not fought nor resisted so much as to shedding of teares farre lesse to the shedding of bloud 1 Sam. 30. 16. before the Lord comfort vs if wee cannot triumph with the Apostle it is because wee haue not foughten with the Apostle for let be that vvee haue not yet resisted vnto the bloud how many among vs can say that they haue resisted vnto the teares that is who striues with God as Iacob did with prayers and teares to obtaine a blessing Carelesse securitie hath farre ouer-gone vs and we are become like those Amalekits who returning from the spoyle of Ziglag and supposing they were past all danger cast their armour from them and spread themselues abroad in the fields to eate and drinke and to sport themselues when in the meane time the deuouring sword vnlooked for came vpon them It fareth euen so with the multitude of this generation they are become so carelesse in the spirituall warfare that as if there vvere no more battels to be â—oughten they walke vvithout the armour of God and spread themselues abroad in the fields of fleshly pleasures and not so onely makes themselues a pray to their deuouring enemie but defrauds their soules of that inward ioy arising of spirituall victory vvhich they who continue in fighting findes at the end of euery battell Now to enter into the vvords The Apostle conioynes The tongue of the wicked is a fornace of fire wherein the godly are tried these two interrogations together very conueniently Who will accuse who will condemne because howeuer there be many forward enough to accuse vs there is none who haue power to condemne vs. It is not the Apostles meaning that vve shall vvant accusations for the world Sathan and our owne conscience shall not cease to accuse vs Laban searched narrowly Iacobs stuffe to see if he could get any thing wherewith For sometime they accuse them publikely and in iudgement to charge him but more narrowly doe vvorldlings search the words and deeds of the Christian seeking whereupon to accuse them and where they can finde none yet vpon shadowes of euill they are bold to publish false reports or at least by priuate surmisings seekes to disgrace them Moses a man approued of God yet accused as an vsurper Ieremie the Prophet albeit he so loued his Country people that in secret his soule mourned for their desolation yet did they accuse him of treason alleadging that he had made defection to the King of Babell Daniel a man beloued of God accused and condemned of Darius his counsellers as a rebell to the King the Israelites who returned from captiuitie accused by Tobie and Sanballat of sedition the Christians of the primitiue Church oppressed with horrible slanders The first weapon wherewith Sathan fights against the Godly is the tongues of the vvicked for hee looseth their tongues to speake euill before he loose their hands to doe euill to them therefore said Augustine Lingua impiorum Aug. confes lib. 10. est quotidiana fornax the tongue of the wicked is a daily fornace vvherein the Godly are tryed let no man thinke to serue God in a good conscience but hee must be purged in this Ouen ye are not of the world said our Sauiour therefore it is that the world doth hate you and speake euill of you Ioh. 15. 19. As for their priuate surmisings they are of two sorts sometime they charge Gods children with euill which they haue done indeede but whereof they haue repented them and herein they are malitious that the sinnes vvhich God Sometime they speake euill of them priuately and that either maliciously charging them with sins they haue done but haue repented hath forgiuen they will not forget but this should not prouoke vs to impatience seeing they blame vs for nothing for which wee blame not our selues why shall wee be commoued let vs not thinke shame to say
houre of death wee heare that ioyfull sentence Come to me thou Mat. 25. 21. faithfull seruant c. This night thou shalt be with mee in paradise Marke 23. 43. Math. 25. 34. Come and inherit the kingdome prepared for you Till then our peace is not alway without perturbation our ioy Yet our peace and ioy are not perfect in this life and why not without heauinesse nor our confidence without feare yea in our best estate we liue vnder expectation of a better For the iudgement of conscience suppose it be diuine yet it is not supreme nor absolutely perfect because the light we haue to informe conscience is but in part If thy conscience be euill and accuse thee it cannot accuse thee of all the euill which is in thee for if our conscience condemne vs 1. Iohn 3. 20. God is greater then our conscience and will much more condemne Deus scit in nobis quâ—d ipsi nes 〈…〉 s. God knoweth Aug. in Ioan. tract 42. that in vs which we know not our selues And if thy conscience be good and excuse thee yet can it not beare record of all the good which God by the Spirit of Grace hath wrought in thee And therefore for our comfort may wee turne that sentence if our conscience excuse vs God is greater then our conscience and will much more excuse vs. And hereof it commeth that our conscience can neither haue perfect nor perpetuall rest in this life because as is said it dependeth and looketh alwayes for that supreme and absolutory sentence of the highest Iudicator yet so much assurance haue wee and that vpon most certaine grounds whereof we will speake God willing hereafter as makes vs in our greatest tribulations to reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And herein hath the Lord magnified his meruailous mercyes towards vs in that he hath not onely set vs free A great comfort that the Christian knowes before hand the sentence to be pronounced vpon him from condemnation but hath also forewarned vs before we come to iudgement that we shall not be condemned Yea so tender a regard hath the Lord of vs that in his last and supreame Court sentence of absolution shall first be pronounced vpon his children before that sentence of coÌ„demnation be giuen out against the reprobate that the Godly finding themselues in surety should not be discouraged to heare the fearfull reiection of the wicked Let vs not therefore be afraid when so it shall please the Lord to remoue vs out of this earthly Tabernacle seeing that before euer wee goe we know our sentence Pharaoh his Butler was not afraid Gen. 40 13. to goe before his Iudge because Ioseph foretold him that hee should be restored to his office and may not we with greater boldnesse goe before our King seeing we are fore-warned that he will restore vs vnto a more happy estate then that which we lost in Adam This we haue spoken of the glorious deliuerance which But how glorious this deliuerance â—s wee shall best know when we shall be set on mount Sion the iustified man hath in Iesus Christ our best knowledge is but in a part and we are not able to speake of these mercies of our God according to their excellencie The Lord is able to doe vnto vs aboue all that we can aske or thinke The Christian may looke for much more to be giuen him through Christ then any thing that euer he heard or hath conceiued in his owne minde When Lot was compelled to Gen. 14. goe out of Sodome by the Angels he considered not how mercifull the Lord was vnto him and therefore lingred and prolonged the time but being thrust out of Sodome by the Angell and set vpon the mountaine which the Lord had assigned to him for a place of refuge vnto him then no doubt considering the greatnesse of that iudgement which the Lord had executed vpon Sodome the smoke whereof we may well thinke he saw with Abraham the next morne mounting vp like the smoke of a Furnace then no doubt hee was moued in his heart to magnifie the Lords mercie toward him and if in Zoar where he was still in feare hee acknowledged that his life had beene precious in their eies who were sent to deliuer him much more may wee thinke hee was thankfull at the first on the mountaine when he saw their fearefull confusion and his meruailous preseruation It is euen so with vs wee are yet in Sodome which shortly will be burnt vp with fire the Lord doth daily send his Angels to vs warning vs to escape for our life but alas we prolong the time we delay to turne to the Lord loath we are to goe out of Sodome and all because wee know not with the Apostle the terrour of that day but surely when 2 Cor. 5. Reue. 11. the Lord shall set vs on mount Sion among those thousands which follow the Lambe and we shall see the smoake of the damned ascending continually when we shall stand at the right hand of the Lord Iesus and shall heare that fearefull sentence pronounced on the wicked and see the speedie and terrible execution thereof the earth opening incontinent to swallow them then shall we perfectly know how greatly the Lord hath magnified his mercies towards vs in deliuering vs from so fearefull a condemnation Last of all as this is the happy estate of them who are in How miserable are they who are not in Christ Christ that now there is no condemnation for them so is it the contrary miserable estate of the damned doe what they will euery action of their life makes out the processe of their most iust condemnation for to the vncleane all things are vncleane yea euen their consciences are defiled and Tit. 1. their prayer is abhominable and turned into sin but thanks be to God through Iesus Christ who hath deliuered vs from this most vnhappy condition To them who are in Christ. Albeit the former mentioned Deliuerance by Christ pertains not vnto all men onely to them who are of the houshold of Faith deliuerance from the wrath to come be most comfortable yet this which is subioyned should waken euery man to take heed vnto himselfe when we heare that this deliuerance is limited and restrained onely to them who are in Christ It is true that by the offence of one man the fault came on all to condemnation but by the obedience of one all are not made righteous only they who receiue the abundance Rom. 5. of grace and gift of righteousnesse shall raigne in life through one Iesus Christ As therefore we haue receiued within our selues by nature the sentence of death knowing that we are borne heires of the wrath of God by disobedience so wisedome craues that we neuer rest nor suffer our eyes to sleepe nor our eye-lids to slumber but that wee should recount our former sinnes in the bitternes of our heart and
vses this same similitude Iohn 15. And in it we haue these things to consider First who is the stock or root secondly who are the grafts or branches ingrafted thirdly what is the manner of the ingrafting fourthly some comforts and instructions arising hereof The root or stocke whereinto this ingrafting is made is Iesus Christ called by himselfe the true Vine by the Apostles 1 The stocke or roote Iohn 15. 1. Rom. 11. 17. Isaiah 11. 1. the true Oliue by the Prophets the roote of Iesse and the righteous branch this roote that great husbandman the eternall God prepared to be as a stocke of life wherein he ingrafts all of Adams lost posteritie whom he hath concluded to saue to the praise and glory of his mercie After that in the fulnes of time God had sent him into the world clad with our nature and he had done the work for which he came the Lord laid him in the graue and as it were set him in the graue but at once like a liuely roote he sprang vp and rested not till his branches spred to the vttermost ends of the earth and till his top mounted vp vnto heauen for there now he sits and raignes in life who before was humbled to death The branches or graftes ingrafted in him are of two 2 The branches whereof some are only externally ingrafted these may be cut off Rom. 11. 22. sorts first all the members of the Church visible who by externall Baptisme are entred to a profession of Christ baptised with water but not with the holy Ghost this kinde of ingrafting will suffer a cutting off if thou continue not in his bountifulnesse thou shalt also be cut off For they haue not the sap of grace ministred to them from the stocke of life but are as dead trees hauing leaues without fruit they haue 2. Tim. 3 5. a shew of Godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof These are no better then Esau who lay in the same wombe with Iacob borne and brought vp in the same Family of Isaac which was the Church of God marked also with the same sacrament of Circumcision Nam sicut ille ex legittima mater natus gratiam superbe spreuit reprobatus est ita qui in Aug. de bap cont Donatist lib. 10. cap. 10. vera Ecclesia baptizantur gratiam Deâ— non amplectuntur cum Esauo reijciuntur For as hee being borne of a lawfull Mother proudely despised Grace and was cast off so they who are baptised into the true Church of God and embrace not the grace of God shall be reiected with Esau neyther shall it auaile them that by an externall kinde of ingrafting they haue beene adioyned to the fellowship of the visible Church The other sort are they who beside the outward ingrafting Others internally ingrafted and to these belongs this comfort whereof we haue spoken are also inwardly grafted by the holy Ghost in Iesus Christ in such sort that Christ is in them and they in Christ and can say with the Apostle Now I liue yet not I any more but Christ Iesus liueth in me these haue in them that same minde which was in Iesus the Gal. 2. 20. onely sure argument of our spirituall vnion with him for if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and they who are quickned and ruled by his spirit are assuredly his As for the manner of the ingrafting it is spiritual wrought 3 The manner of the ingrafting it is made by the word spirit by the holy Ghost who creating faith in our heart by hearing of the Gospell makes vs to goe out of our selues transire in Christum so to relie vpon him that by his light we are illuminated by his spirit we are quickned by the continuall furniture of his grace we perseuere and increase in spirituall strength in a word so we liue that in our selues we dye Euery lampe of the golden candlesticke hath his Zach. 4. owne pipe through which these two oliues that stand with the ruler of the whole world emptie themselues into the gold that is euery member of the Church of Christ receiues grace from that fulnesse of Grace which is in him through the secret conduits of the spirit whereby he causeth vs to grow and preserueth our soules in life Though he be in heauen and we on earth no distance Distance of place staies not our vnion with him of place can stay this vnion for seeing the members of the body howsoeuer scattered through sundry parts of the world so farre that many of them haue neuer seene others in the face are notwithstanding knit together by the band of one spirit into one holy communion why should it be denyed but that the head and members of this mysticall body are also one by the same Spirit suppose the head be in heauen and the members on earth or what need is there to enforce for effecting of this vnion such a corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament as cannot stand with the truth of Gods word Now the comforts that ariseth vnto vs of our communion 4 Comforts arising of this our vnion with Christ with Christ are exceeding great for first we haue with him a communion of natures he hath taken vpon him ours and hath communicated his nature vnto vs. Of the first after a sort all mankind may glory forasmuch as Christ tooke not on the nature of Angels but the nature 1 Communion of Natures of man yet if there be no more the comfort is small yea the condemnation of man is the greater that the Lord Iesus came vnto man in mans nature and man would not receiue him But as for the godly let them reioyce in this that the Lord Iesus hath not onely assumed our nature but also made vs pertakers of the diuine nature before he assumed 2. Pet. 1 4. our nature he sanctified it and now hauing by his owne spirit ioyned vs to himselfe we may be out of doubt hee shall not cease till he hath sanctified vs. It is a notable comfort that the worke of our perfect A notable comfort the Lord who sanctified our nature that he might assume it will also sanctifie vs seeing he hath vnited vs to himselfe Phil. 1. 6. sanctification is not left vnto vs to doe the Lord Iesus hath taken it into his owne hand to performe it what then shall hinder it I am perswaded that he who hath begunne this good worke in you will performe it against the day of Iesus Christ He who at his pleasure turned water into Wine he who made the bitter waters to become sweete he who makes the wildernesse a fruitfull land and the barren woman to become the mother of many children in a word he who calles things which are not and causeth them to be is hee notable to make sinners become Saints or shall hee not perfect that worke of the new creation
of Gods vengeance pearced him among the thousands of Israel all the pretences of men who work iniquity shall not in that last day saue them from that fearful sentence depart from me I know you not Let the carnall professors of this age hearken to their doom before hand which assuredly they shall heare at the last if they goe on still in their sins Let vs not be deceiued fearefull is that sentence No vncleane thing none that workes abhomination Reuel 21. 17. shall enter into that heauenly Citiâ—â— and such haue we ben all but blessed are they who are washed sanctified and iustified 1. Cor. 6. 11. in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God The bastard Christians of our time haue learned by the light of the word to put good workes out of the chaire of merit and iustly for Iesus Christ onely should sit in that chaire but haue not yet set them down in their owne place for though they be not meriters of eternall lifeâ— yet must they be thy witnesses to prooue that thou art in Christ by thy workes not by thy words shal thou be iudged in the last day Of this hath our Sauiour â—orewarned vs and therefore doth the Apostle counsell vs Make sure your calling and 2. Pet. 1. 10. Election by well doing If any man be in Iesus let him become a 1. Cor. 5. 17. new creature For if we say that we haue fellowship with God 1. Iohn 1. 6. and walke in darknesse we doe but lye Sathan hath two strong armes whereby he wrestles against Sathans two armes Desperation and Presumption man if with the one which is Desperation hee cannot thrust thee downe vnto hell then shall he prease with the other to mount thee on the chariot of presumption that so he may send thee away posting to damnation puft vp with a false conception of mercy when as in the meane time thou hast no warrant that the mercy of God in Christ doth appertaine to thee This presumption saith Bernard Commonly Sathan tempts with Presumption is infidelis fâ—ducia it seemes vnto them who are swelled therwith a strong Faith if you talke with them they will tell you they are most sure of saluation and that they neuer doubted thereof yet in very deed it is but a faithlesse confidence whereby Sathan doth miserably deceiue them for hee careth not suppose all thy dayes thou hould a generall conceit of mercy so that he finde by thy fruits that thou art not in Christ Let vs beware of this presumption let vs not proclaime peace to our selues when there is no peace neither blesse our selues in that state of life wherein God will curse vs but in feare and trembling worke out our owne saluation making our Faith manifest by good works for the best argument to prooue that we are in Christ is this that we walke not after the flesh And that we may yet more be mooued to flye the lusts They dishonour Christ highly who say they are in Christ and walke after the flesh of the flesh let vs consider how the Apostle oppones these two as contraries which cannot consist together to be in Christ and to walke after the flesh It cannot therefore but be a great dishonouring of Christ when they who professe by word that they are his doe by their wicked deeds deny him for the euill life of a professor in effect giues out this false testimonie against Christ that there is no power in his death no vertue in his resurrection no renuing grace to sanctifie those who are his Turkes and Pagans who plainely deny him do not derogate so much from the glory of Christ as doe profane professors of his name tolerabilius enim lingua quaÌ„ vita mentitur the lye saith Augustine Aug. contra Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 21. which is made by the tongue is more tollerable then that which is made by the life where the tongue professes Christ and the heart is giuen to impiety this is not professio sed abnegatio Christi a profession but a denying of Christ It is a great sinne to beare false witnesse against our neighbour but a greater sinne to beare false witnesse against the Lord. Euery creature in their kinde giues a true testimonie vnto God the heauens declare his glory the earth and all that therein is sets forth his goodnesse yea the little Emmet proclaimes his prouidence he must be a prouident father that hath put so great prouidence in so small Onely apostate Angels men beare false witnesse against God a creature onely apostate Angels and men are false witnesses against the Lord. Sathan lies sometime against his mercy as when he sayes to the penitent and beleeuing man God will not forgiue him sometime against his iustice when he beares the wicked in hand that God will not punish him sometime against his prouidence when hee would perswade the afflicted that God cannot deliuer them And as for the Apostate man he is also a false witnesse against God he calleth himselfe the childe of God and behold he carrieth the image of Sathan as if the Lord begat children to another image and not to his owne Certainely An euill life of a professor saiâ—â— in effect there is no vertue in Christ the sinfull life of one professing Christ is a publicke testimonie falsly proclayming to the world as I haue said that there is no vertue in Christ and that he is such a Sauiour as can neither sanctifie nor saue from sinne such as are his a fearefull blasphemie All Christians are not honoured with the second martirdome A godly life is the first martirdome without suffering for Christ which is the second martirdome is not acceptable to him that is to be Christs witnesses by suffering of death for his truths sake yet all are bound by a godly life to be witnesses of his sauing and renuing power shewing forth his meruailous vertue who hath translated vs from darknesse into his light Tota vita martyrium esse debet hoc est testimonium deo reddere c. the whole life of a Christian should be a martirdome that is a continuall witnessing of Cyp. de duplici martirio the truth of God and this is so necessarie that without it the second martirdome that is the testimonie which thou bearest to the truth of God by shedding of thy blood is worth nothing it auailes not to giue thy body to be burnt in the fire vnlesse that first thou mortifie thy earthly members and by reasonable seruice offer vp thy body a liuely and Col. 3 5. Rom. 12. 1. an acceptable sacrifice to God And hereunto also tendeth that which hee subioynes Efficacius est vitae quam linguae testimonium habent etiam opera suam linguam c. The testimonie of the life is more effectuall than the testimonie of the tongue workes haue also their owne language yea and their owne eloquence
law to saue vs appeares in two things things first it craued that of vs which we had not to giue namely perfect obedience vnto all the Lords commandements and that vnder paine of death which albeit most 1 It craues that which now our nature cannot giue iustly it be required of vs considering that by creation we receiued from God a nature so holy that it was able to doe the law yet now by reason of the deprauation of our nature drawne on by ourselues it is impossible that wee can 2 It giues not that which our estate now craueth performe it Secondly the law could not giue that vnto vs whereof we stoode in neede namely that the infinite debt of transgressions which wee had contracted should be forgiuen vnto vs this I say the law could not doe for the law commands obedience but promises not pardon of disobedience yea rather it bindes the curse of God vpon vs for it And againe we stood in neede of a supernaturall grace to reforme deformed nature and this also the law could not doe it being a doctrine that shewes vs the way to life but ministers not grace vnto vs to walke therein but all these which the law could not doe Iesus Christ by whom commeth grace and life hath done vnto vs. Where first we haue to marke the pittifull estate of those Miserable blinde are they who seeke liâ—e in perfect obseruance of the Law who seeke life in the obseruance of the law which here the Apostle saith is impossible for the law to giue they seeke life where they shall neuer finde it The Apostle in another place calles the law the ministerie of death and condemnation and that because it instantly bindes men vnder death for euery transgression of her commandements so that he who hath eyes to see what an vniuersall rebellion of nature there is in man vnregenerate to Gods holy law yea what imperfections and discordance with the law are remanent in them who are renued by grace may easily espie the blinde presumption of those that seeke their liues in the ministrie of death Yet so vniuersall is this error that it hath Yet such are all the children of Adam by nature ouergone the whole posterity of Adam nature teaching all men who are not illuminaâ—ed by Christ to seeke saluation in their owne deedes that is to stand to the couenant of works But the supernaturall doctrine of the Euangelist teaches vs to transcend nature to goe out of our selues and to seeke saluation in the Lord Iesus and so to vse the law not that we seek life by fulfilling it which here is impossible but as a schoole-master to leade vs vnto Christ in whom we haue remission of our sinnes sanctification of our nature acceptation of our imperfect obedience benefits which the law could neuer aford vnto vs. Inasmuch as it was weake because of the flesh The Apostle doth in such sort ascribe to the law an impotencie to saue vs that hee blames not the Law but the corruption of The impotencie of the law comes not of the law which is good but of our owne corrupted nature our fleshly nature being not able to fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requireth yea as the Apostle hath taught vs before so farre is our nature peruerted by our Apostasie from God that we are not onely vnable to doe that which the good and holy law of God requires but also we become worse by the law for by the commaundements of the law sin reuiues in our nature and takes occasion by the law to become more sinfull and so like a desperate disease it conuerts that medicine which is ministred to cure it into a nourishment and confirmation of the sicknesse it selfe It is Our nature becomes worse by the law the nature of contraries that euery of them intends the selfe to expell another whereof it comes that there is greatest cold in the bosome of the earth euen then when the Sunne with greatest vehemencie shines on it to califie and heat it euen so our corrupted nature doth neuer shew it selfe more rebellious and stubborne than when the law of God beginnes to rectifie it As an vnruly and vntamed horse the more he is spurred foreward the faster he runnes backward so the peruerse nature of man nititur semper in vetitum is so farre from being reformed by the law that by the contrary sinne that was dead without the law is reuiued by the law and takes occasion to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence The Apostle is not ashamed to confesse that he found this in his owne person Augustine also examining Aug. lib. 2. confess cap. 4. his former sinful life doth hereby aggrauate his corruption that in his young yeeres hee was accustomed to steale his neighbours fruit not so much for loue of the fruit for he had better at home as for sinfull delight he had to goe with his companions to commit euill so that where the law should haue restrained his sinfull nature it was so much the more prouoked to sinne by the law Let therefore the Semipelagians of our time say to the contrary what they wil let them magnifie the arme of flesh to diminish the praise of the grace of God and dreame that mans nature vnregenerate can bring forth merits of congruitie or workes of preparation yet doth the Lord herein greatly abase man when he telleth him that not onely he cannot doe that which the law requireth but that also the more he is commaunded the more he repines vntill Grace reforme him God sending his owne Sonne The Apostle proceeds and How Christ hath done that which the law could not let vs see how the Lord by Christ hath wrought that saluation which the law could not Wherein first it is to be marked that the Apostle saith not we sought from the Lord a Sauiour but that the Lord sent him vnto vs vnrequired Surely neither man nor Angell could haue euer thought of such a way of Saluation the Lord hath found it out himselfe in his incomprehensible wisedome a way so to saue man that the glory both of his mercie and iustice shall be saued also Most properly therefore is he called Pater non iudiciorum sed misericordiarum Father not of iudgements but of mercies for both the purpose and the Why God is called father of mercie not of iudgements meanes of our saluation are from himselfe he hath found causes without him moouing to execute his iustice he hath beene prouoked thereunto by the disobedience of apostate Angels and men but a cause mouing him to shew mercie is within himselfe this praise is due to God it is the greatest glory that can be giuen vnto him Abhominable therefore is that errour of fore-seene merites by which the aduersaries doe what they can to obscure the praise of the bright shining glory of Gods mercie His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne How Christ is Gods
and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound 2. Sam. 19. 9. themselues to giue subiection and obedience to Dauid was that he had deliuered them from the hand of the Philistins the same reason Ezra vsed to the Iewes returned from captiuitie to make them obedient to the Lord Seeing thou O Ezra 9. 13. Lord hath giuen vs such deliuerances shall we returne any more to breake thy Commaundements but much more should it binde vs to doe seruice to our Lord Iesus seeing hee hath made vs free by his blood shall we againe make our selues the seruants of sinne The Lord neuer shewed a greater Professors conuinced that serue him not mercie on man then this that he gaue his sonne Iesus Christ vnto the death for vs and there can be no higher contempt done to God by man then if after so great a loue shewed vs wee shall still refuse to be his seruants much will be required of him to whom much is giuen those Gentiles to whom the Lord reuealed himselfe in goodnesse onely as their Creator because they did not glorifie him the Apostle saith that the wrath of God was reuealed from heauen vpon them and what wrath then maist thou looke for to whom the Lord hath manifested himselfe in mercy also as thy Redeemer in Christ and yet thou will not glorifie him thou receiuest not him whom thy Father hath sent vnto thee neyther wilt thou liue vnto him that gaue himselfe to dye for thee but by thy wicked life thou crucifiest againe the Sonne of God and treadest vnder thy feet the blood of the new couenant certainely Sodome and Gomorrha shall be in an easier estate in the day of iudgement then the wicked of this generation For in this last age the Lord hath spoken to vs by his Son he hath none greater to send after him those labourers of the vineyard that slew the Seruants of the great King were not for that instantly punished but when the Sonne came and they had murthered him also then was their iudgement no longer delayed It was not written for the Iewes onely in whom it was first accomplished but for vs also to whom the Father in this last age hath sent his owne Sonne and by whom hee hath spoken vnto vs from himselfe if we despise him there remaines no more but a violent looking for of iudgement The third dutie is that for Christs sake we loue vnfainedly Loue to those whom he hath bidden loue for his sake those whom hee hath recommended vnto vs our goodnesse cannot extend vnto the Lord neither haue wee him walking with vs vpon earth that we may minister vnto him may wash his feete and annoint his blessed bodie with precious oyntments therefore should our delight be vpon those his excellent ones that are vpon earth When Ionathan was dead Dauid for Ionathans sake shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth our Ionathan is not dead hee liues and raignes in heauen yet can we not declare our kindnesse to himselfe let vs seeke some Mephibosheth some of Christs little weake and impotent children of whom he hath said what ye doe to one of these little ones for my sake is done to me and let vs shew kindnesse vnto them for the great loue which the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. And that for sinne These words containe the end of Christ came to destroy sin cursed are they who nourish it Christs manifestation in the flesh which is that in our nature he might beare the punishment of our sinnes satisfie the iustice of God and so abolish sinne Sanit Iohn makes this cleare when he saith that he appeared to destroy the workes of the diuell that is sinne for sinne being remooued there is nothing in man but the workmanship of God By this it is euident how highly they offend God who abuse the death of Christ to nourish themselues in their sinne being the bolder to commit sinne because Christ dyed for them surely this is to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse The Lord came to abolish sinne not to nourish it 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ once suffered the iust for the vniust not that we should still abide vniust but that he might bring vs to God Thou therefore who continuest vniust mayst say as thou hast heard that there is a Sauiour come into the world but can not say in truth that there is a Sauiour come to thee For where Christ comes he worketh that worke for which hee came namely he destroyes the worke of the diuell that is he enfeebles and abolishes at the last the power of sinne Condemned sinne Sin by a metaphor is said to be condemned How Christ hath condemned sinne for as thy who are condemned are depriued of all the liberty power and priuiledges they had before and haue no more any place to appeare in iudgement so hath the Lord Iesus disanulled sinne that it hath now no power to commaund and condemne vs hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the Crosse Colos 2. 24. and hath nayled vnto it the obligation of ordinances which was against vs and so sustulit illam quasi authoritatem peccati Ambrose in hunc locum qua homines detinebat in inferno hath taken away that power and authoritie of sinne whereby it detained men vnder damnation This hath he done most lawfully and in iudgement as we shall heare bearing our sinnes in his blessed bodie on the Crosse he hath suffered that punishment which the law required to be inflicted on man for sinne and that in the flesh that is in the same nature of man which had offended For this word of Condemnation imports a iust and lawful Two head or chiefe iustice Courts holden by God proceeding of a Iudge in iudgement which that we may the better vnderstand let vs consider that there are two generall and head iustice Courts which the Lord hath set vnto men the one is holden already the other is to be holden 1 In the first the sinnes of all Gods elect are condemned in the first the sinnes of all the elect are lawfully condemned that themselues may be absolued in the second the persons of all the reprobate shall be iustly condemned In the first by the ordinance of God the Father our sinnes were laid vpon the backe of Iesus Christ and a law imposed to him which was neuer giuen to any other neither Angell or man to wit the law of a Mediator that he should make vp peace betweene God and man loue God in such sort that he should by suffering preserue the glory of his Fathers iustice and yet make manifest the glory of his mercy that he should loue his brethren in such sort that hee should take the burden of their transgressions vpon him which as by the Father it was enioyned vnto him so did he willingly vndertake it And therefore hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him he presented himselfe for vs vpon the Crosse as vpon a
vs but that we haue by nature our estate were most miserable but seeing beside nature there is in vs a new workmanship of grace from the which the Lord accounts vs new spirituall men we haue thanks be to God matter of comfort As Sathan is a lyer in denying the name of spirituall men Papists will haue none called spirituall men but their Cleargie to men regenerate so his supposts aduersaries of the truth of Christ are lying deceiuers and vniust robbers when they restraine this name to such as are of their Cleargie which here the Apostle makes competent to euery man in whom the spirit of Christ dwelleth Spiritualâ—m non facit vestis locus Ferus â—fficium opus sed Spiritus it is neither garment sayes one of their owne nor place nor office nor externall worke that makes a man spirituall but the holy Spirit dwelling in him Because the Spirit of God dwels in you Hee subioynes The spirit of God where he dwels works wher he works he workes not in vaine therefore they cannot but be spiritual in whom he dwels here the confirmation of his former comfort he hath said vnto them yee are not in the flesh he proues it the Spirit of God dwels in you therefore yee are not in the flesh nor carnall but spirituall The necessity of the consequence depends vpon this middest that the spirit of God where he dwels is not idle but works where he works he works not in vaine but effectuates that which he intends he transformes them in whom he dwels into the similitude of his owne Image he is compared to fire that giues light euen to them who are farre of and heate to them who are neere hand but transchangeth those things into the nature of fire which are cast into it with so meruailous a vertue that yron which is colde by nature being put into the fire becomes hot and burning so doth that holy Spirit illuminate euery one who comes into the world but he changeth all those in whom he dwelleth he transformeth them into his owne similitude and endueth them with an holy and heauenly disposition then his argument is sure the Spirit of God dwelleth in you therefore yee are not carnall but spirituall In the end of the last Chapter the Apostle said that Strange that two guests of so contrary natures as sinne and the holy spirit should dwell in one man Rom. 7. 17. The soule of man regenerate compared to the house of Abraham sinne dwelleth in the man regenerate it is not I but sinne that dwelleth in me and here he sayes that the spirit of God dwelleth in the man regenerate this is strange that two guests of so contrary natures should both at one time haue their dwelling in man I compare the soule of man regenerate to the house of Abraham wherein there was both a free woman Sarah and a bond woman Hagar with their children Ismael the sonne of the bond woman borne after the flesh is older and stronger then Isaac the sonne of the free woman borne after the spirit that is according to the promise hee disdaines little Isaac as weaker and persecutes him yet the comfort of Isaac is that though Ismaell dwell in the house of Abraham for a while hee shall not remaine the sonne of the bond woman shall be cast out and shall not inherit the promise with the sonne of the free woman such a house is the soule of a Christian there dwelleth in it at one time both old nature and new grace with their children the olde man at the first being older and stronger than the new man doth persecute him and seekes by all meanes to oppresse him but at the last he shall be cast out This Metaphor of dwelling doth also yeeld vnto vs exceeding Meruailous that the inhabiter is larger than the habitation great comfort in all other habitations the lodging is larger than the inhabiter but this is meruailous that the lodging here is so little and the inhabiter so great that infinite maiestie whom the heauen of heauens cannot contain who hath the heauen for his throne and the earth for his footestoole hath chosen for his dwelling and place of rest the soule of him that is poore contrite and trembles at his word A wonderfull mercy that the highest maiestie should so farre dimit the selfe as that passing by all his other creatures hee should make choyse of man to be his pleasant sanctuarie From this it is euident that this dwelling doth designe The speâ—iall glory of a Christian is that God dwels in him some speciall presence of God with his own children which he shewes not vnto others it is true he is present in euery place bounded within no place he containes all things vncontayned of any where he dwelleth not as a Father there hee sits as a Iudge and is a terrour which manner of way the damned are continually vexed with his presence but in the Christian he dwels as a maister in his owne family as a Father with his children quickning ruling and preseruing them and prouiding for them Worldings may match Worldlings may exceede him in worldly gifts but cannot match him in this the Christian in externall gifts but cannot compare with him in this internall glory though without hee be but an earthen vessell yet hath he within an heauenly treasure for he is the habitation of God in whom the Lord dwels by his spirit It was Beniamin his glory that the Lord should dwell betweene his shoulders and the glory of Ierusalem Deut. 33. 12. that there the Lord dwelt betweene the Cherubins but most of all the glory of a Christian that the Lord dwelleth betweene the secrets of his soule let worldlings reioyce in their outward priuiledges and in their presumptuous minds leape like the mighty mountaines esteeming themselues high as mount Basan yet this is the glory of a Christian that God delights to dwell in him Let vs therfore make much of them who feare the Lord They should be honoured in whom Christ dwels Dan. 6. though in regard of their outward estate they were neuer so base we should not be ashamed to doe them honour for his sake who dwelleth in them Darius preferred Daniel because the spirit was excellent in him and Pharaoh honoured Gen. 41. 42. Ioseph because the Spirit of God was in him yea the Angels are content to be Seruants and Ministers to them who feare the Lord they honoured Shepheards for Christs sake with their presence which they did not vnto King Herod for all his glory and shall not wee delight in Gods excellent ones vpon earth surely he shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God in Psal 15. whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them who feare the Lord. Hereby we know that wee are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Not onely doth this Metaphor of dwelling import a familiar The Metaphor
for the fourth it shall be the estate of the Saints of God in heauen Let not therefore the children of God be discouraged by Comfort our estate in this life is neither our last nor best estate looking either â—pon the remanents of sinne in their soule or the beginning of death in their body for why this estate wherein now we are is neither our last nor our best estate out of this we shall be transchanged into the blessed estate of glorious immortality our soules without all spot or wrinckle shall dwell in the body freed from mortality and corruption made like vnto Christs owne glorious body which the Lord our God who hath translated vs out of our second miserable estate into this third shall not faile to accomplish in his time Againe it comes to be considered here seeing by Iesus Christ life is restored to the soule presently why is it not also restored to the body vvhy is the body lâ—st vnder the Our soules being quickned yet our bodies are left vnder death for foure causes power of death to be turned into dust and ashes vvas it not as easie to the Lord to haue done the one as the other To this I answere that at any time life should be restored to our bodies is a mercy greater then wee are able to consider if wee will looke to our desâ—ruing that for a while hee will haue them subiected to the power of death the Lord in his wise dispensation hath thought it good for many causes First for performance of his truth 〈◊〉 but dust Gen. 3. 21. and to dust thou shalt returne If man had dyed no manner of way how should the truth of GOD appeare and if that death due to man had not beene inflicted vpon him how 1 Fâ—r reconciliation of Gods mercy truth Ber. in annuÌ„ Mar. ser 1. should his mercy beene manifested this controuersie God in his meruailous wisedome hath setled Fâ—at mors bona habet vtraque quâ—d petit let death become good and so both his mercy and his truth hath that which they craue for in the changing of the cursed nature of death and making that temporall which was eternall doth his mercy appeare and in the dissolution of mans body into dust for a time doth his truth appeare Secondly the Lord hath done it for manifestation of his 2 For the cleerer declaration of Gods power owne power accounting it a greater glory to destroy sinne by death then by any other meanes Death is the fruit of sinne and the weapon whereby Sathan intended to destroy mankinde and so deface the glory of the Creator but the Lord cutteth off the head of this Gâ—liah vvith his owne sword hee turneth his vveapon against himselfe by death he destroyes that same sinne in his children which brought Chrisost in Mat. hom 2. forth death A meruailous conquest that Sathan is not onely ouercome but ouercome by the same meanes by vvhich before hee tyrannized ouer men And thirdly the Lord 3 For our instruction that wee may know what great mercy God hath shewed vpon vs. suffers our bodies to taste of death that we may the better consider that excellent benefite vvhich vve haue by Iesus Christ for if the death of the body notwithstanding that the nature thereof is changed be so fearefull as vve see in experience how miserable should vvee haue beene if the Lord had inflicted deserued death both of soule and body 4 For our conformitie with Christ vpon vs And last that we might be conformed to him who is the first borne among many brethren it behoueth vs by death also to enter into his kingdome For righteousnesse sake This righteousnesse that bringeth The life our soule hath flowes from Christs righteousnesse Rom. 5. 21 Hos 13. 9 Reu. 7. 10. life is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs by Grace as iâ— euident out of that As sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raygne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life Sinne which causeth death is our owne but that righteousnesse which bringeth life is of Grace Our perdition is of our selues but our saluation commeth from the Lord and from the L 〈…〉 be that sitteth vpon the Throne No preseruatiue then against death but this righteousnesse it presently giues life vnto our soule and afterward shall restore our dodyes from the power of the graue such therefore as are the children of wisedome will be carefull in time to be partakers This righteousnesse is known by sanctificatioÌ„ of this Iewell This righteousnesse hath inseperably annexed with it Sanctification by thy sanctification try thy selfe and see whether or no thou hast gotten life through the righteousnesse of Christ deceiue not thine owne hart in the matter of saluation assure thy selfe so far forth thou doest liue as thou art sanctified As health is to the body so is holines to the Soule a body without health fals out of one paine into another till it dye and a Soule without holines is polluted with one lust after another till it dye As the Moone hath lightlesse or more according as it is in aspect with the Sunne so the Soule of man enioyes life lesse or more according as it is turned or auerted to or from the Lord thus let euery man iudge by his sanctification whether if or not hee be partaker of that righteousnesse of Iesus which bringeth life vnto the soule Miserable are those wicked ones who want it they are twise dead saith Saint Iude that is Iude. ver 12. both in soule and body not so much as a heauenly breath or motion is in them but wee ought to giue thankes vnto God who hath giuen a beginning of eternall life vnto vs. Last of all there is here a notable comfort for all the Comfort wee haue a life which no death can extinguish children of God that there is begun in vs a life which no death shall euer be able to extinguish albeit death inuade the naturall vitall powers of our bodies and suppresse them one after one yea though at the length he breake in vpon this lodging of clay and demolish it to the ground yet the man of God who dwels in the body shall escape with his life the Tabernacle is cast downe that is the most our enimie can doe but he who dwelt in it remoues vnto a better as the Bird escapes out of the snare of the Fowler so the The prison of the body being broken the soule that was prisoner doth escape soule in death slighters out and flies away with ioy to her maker yea dissoluing of the bodie to the man of God it is but the vnfolding of the net and breaking open the prison wherein hee hath beene detayned that he himselfe may be deliuered The Apostle knew this well and therefore Phil. 1. 21. desired to be dissolued that he might be with Christ As in the battell betweene our Sauiour and Sathan Sathans head
therefore is it that in the summe of our faith the Article of our Resurrection is put betweene the Article of the remission Resurrection is a benefit when remission of sin goes before it and eternal life followes after it of sinnes and that other Article of eternall life to teach vs that then onely the Resurrection of the body is a benefit when remission of sinnes goes before it and eternall life followes after it whereof the Lord of his great mercy make vs partakers through Iesus Christ Verse 1â— Therefore Brethren â—ee are debters not to the Exhortation flesh to liue after the flesh AS it is true concerning vs that a necessitie lyeth What fruit wee should gather of the Apostles former doctrine vpon vs to preach and woe will be to vs if wee preach not so it is true concerning you that a necessitie lyeth vpon you to heare and woe wil be to you if you heare not It is commaunded to vs that when we speake wee should speake as the Oracles of God and it is also required of you that ye receiue this word not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God therefore take heede how yee heare for as Moses said to the Israelites so say wee vnto you It is no vaine word concerning you it is your life Ye haue heard that maine proposition of Comfort there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ yee haue heard it confirmed explaned and applyed the miserable estate of them who walke after thâ— flesh hath beene shewed vnto you as likewise the happy estate of them who walke after the Spirit and what comforts the godly haue both against the remanents as also against the fruits of sinnes hath beene declared vnto you Examine your selues see how far forth these comforts belong vnto you If yee be such as thinke with those scornefull men in Ierusalem that yee haue made a couenant with death and it shall not come neere you then goe on in your security and doe that which is good in your owne eyes but if yee finde by experience that death is already entred into your mortall body be vvise in time see that thou haue this onely soueraigne comfort against death the spirit of Christ dwelling in you otherwise flatter your selues in your security as you will miserable shall your end be Now the Consolation being ended the Apostle subioynes Consolation exhortation both necessary for vs. the Exhortation both these two consolation and exhortation are needfull for vs in the course of this life the one to keepe vs that we faint not through the remanents of sinne left in vs and beginnings of death which already haue seased vpon vs exhortation againe to stir vs vp when wee linger in the way of godlinesse For it fareth with vs as it did with Lot in Sodome the Angels warned him of the imminent iudgement and exhorted him to escape for his life yet hee delayed and lingred hee could not be gotten out of Sodome till they as it were violently thrust him out And albeit the Lord admonish vs early and late by his messengers of that wrath which is to come vpon the children of disobedience and warne vs in time to flye to the mountaine of his saluation yet alas so loath are we to forsake our olde sinnes that the Lord is forced to double his exhortation vnto vs all which yet shall not auaile vs if the Lord â—ay not the hands of his grace vpon vs and by his holy Spirit make vs obedient to the heauenly vocation Let vs therefore take heede to the exhortations made vs by the Lord and that so much the more because it is most certaine that the sweetnesse of Gods consolation shall not be felt of them who are not moued with his exhortation Contemplationis enim gustus non debetur nisi obedientiae mandatorum Ber. ser 46. in Cant. the tast of Gods mercy by contemplation is onely due to them who make conscience of the obedience of his commandements Therefore This particle is relatiue to the words preceding Euery benefit of God is a new obligation binding vs to serue him seeing it is so that by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs wee haue such excellent benefits we are debt-bound not to liue after the flesh but after the Spirit Of this wee haue first to learne that euery benefit wee receiued from God is an Obligation binding vs debters of seruice to God for much shall be required of him to whom much is giuen there is no reason vvhy the abundance of Gods gifts eyther Gods benefits shold not make vs proud for he who hath receiued most hath the more debt lying vpon him temporall or spirituall should encrease thy pride and carelesnesse but rather should make thee more humble and carefull how to please him considering that the more thou hast receiued the more thou owest VVhen Dauiâ— forgetting that hee was the Lords debter began to liue as his lust commaunded him the Lord brought out against him his former benefits as so many obligations to conuince him I aâ—â—oynted thee saith the Lord King ouer 2 Sam. 12. 7. 8. 9. Israell I deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul I gaue thee thy Lords house and â—iâ—es into thy bosome I gaue thee in like manner the house of Israell and Iudah anâ— would moreouer if that had beene too little haue giuen thee such and such things Wherefore thâ—n hast thou despâ—sed my commandement and done euill in my sight forgetting that thou was bound and obliged to me This processe of Dauids conuiction stands for an example This is cleared in the processe of Dauids conuiction to vs all to warne vs that vnlesse wee make the benefits of God obligations binding vs to serue him the Lord shall vse them as arguments to proue that iudgement is due vnto vs and the greater benefits the greater iudgements for vnto them that walke not worthy of the honor of good things they haue receiued from God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisost in Mat. hom 4. the greatnesse of honour shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the augmentation of their punishment And as this is tâ—ue in temporall benefits so much more in spirituall graces as they are more excellent then the other so doe they more binde vs then the other both Israelites and Ethiopians are debters to God but the Israelite more debt bound than the Ethiopian for the Lord hath not dealt vvith euery Nation as with Israell Heare this word that the Lord prâ—nounceth Amos. 3 1. O ye Children of Israell you onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visite you for all youâ— iniquities May yee not see heere that the Lord most straitly doth punish the sinnes of those to vvhom hee hath beene most beneficiall vvhen they become vnthankefull The Gentiles who receiued no more but the light of nature are conuinced because they glorified not
the sinfull lusts thâ—reof But alas the corruption of our nature is so great that without great circumspection we cannot nourish the body vnlesse wee also nourish sinne in the body many vnder pretence of doing duty to the one failes in the other so they pamper the body that they quench the spirit ouercome with gluttony they are not able to pray VVee are vvith the godly to keepe a meane betweene these two extremities as a ship if it be ouerladed Discipline whereby wee beat downe the body would neither be too strait nor too remisse is easily ouerwhelmed by the water or if it be too light and not ballassed is easily driuen out of the due course by the winde as a horse if he be hungred cannot serue his Master or if fed aboue measure waxes insolent and kickes against his rider so is it with the body neither would it be so weakened that it be not able to performe the works of Christian Ephra Syr. lib. 1. cap. 9. duty neither yet so pampered that it become a burthen to the soule and an impediment to spirituall exercises But in this age we neede not greatly to admonish men of the one But most men faile in excessiue pampering the body extremity the debt men owes vnto their bodies is payd with a large measure and running ouer it is not onely serued to necessity but so ouercharged with superfluity that oftentimes it loathes and abhorres those aliements by which it liues the soule in the meane time put to a sober dyet left famished without any morsell of heauenly bread whereby it should be refreshed and strengthened whereof it comes that the lusts of the flesh waxe strong and the life of the spirit wonderfully decayes Though the other member of the opposition be not here Many Lords striuing for mans superiority and to haue man their seruant exprest yet it followes necessarily wee are debters to the spirit And so wee may gather of these words how there are sundry Lords striuing for the superiority of man The World with her pleasures allures man to follow her but pretend what shee will in truth her word is decipâ—â—ra The flesh would haue man a seruant to her lusts she wants not her baytes wherewith to beguile him but in truth her word is infiâ—iam Sathan strongest of the three vsurpers superiority ouer man hee craues that man should fall downe and worship him hee wants not promises enough faire in show but in truth his word is interficiam Iesus Christ our lawfull Lord he also cals vpon vs and exhorts vs to serue him hee hath life in the one hand durable riches and honour in the other and in truth his word is râ—ficiam I will refresh you Now in this strife to whom shall we yeeld our selues but vnto him who cryes reficiam Let vs therefore say with Dauid O Lord no wight can make title to me but onely thou all others that exact Psal 119. 94. But forsaking the rest wee should yeeld our selues seruants to Christ and why any seruice of vs are but vncouth Lords to whom we are not oblieged they are but tyrants striuing to oppresse vs Câ—rtant in me de meipso cuius potisâ—â—mâ—m esse videar they striue saith Bernard within me about me to which of them chiefly I should seeme to appertaine but O Lord Iesus I am thine I haue no King but thou come therefore and raigne in mee and remoue these offences out of thy kingdome happy are they who can so render themselues to the Lord for in the houre of death what is it that men craues more then that the Lord Iesus should acknowledge them for his who will not in that houre beg that mercy at the hands of God Lord receiue my Spirit but assuredly if thou yeeld it not to him in life when he requires it he shall not receiue it from thee in death when thou wouldst tender it to him â—he Lord graunt that in our whole liues wee may acknowledge our selues as debters of daily seruice vnto him so shall the Lord in death welcome vs as his faithfull seruants and receiue vs into his rest Verse 1â— For if yee liue after thâ— flesh yee shall dye but if yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit yee shall liue THis word of the Lord pronounceth before The Apostle stands here as a messenger of mercy with a sword in his mouth to terrifie men from the way of death hand vpon you who liue after the flesh a condemnatorie sentence yee shall dye which how euer yee esteeme to be light when you heare it yet yee shall finde it heauy vvhen it shall be executed vpon you To you againe who mortifies the deedes of the body by the spirit there is here pronounced an absoluatorie sentence yee shall liue vvhich in the end shall yeeld you comfort surpassing all that the pleasures of sinne or gaine of vngodlinesse can afford vnto you As that Cherubin therefore stood in the entry of Paradise with the blade Gen. 3. 24. of a shaking sword to keepe Adam from the way of the Not like that Cherubin a minister of iustice to hold Adam out of paradise Tree of life so the Apostle stands here betweene vs and death with a sentence like a two edged sword in his mouth to keepe the sonnes of Adam as farre as hee can from the way of death the one stood as a minister of Gods iustice the other stands as a messenger of mercy The Lord hath sworne by himselfe as I liue I desire not the death of a sinner Ezâ— 18. 32. but that he should returne and liue he iustifies his word by his Both the word and deed of the Lord declares that he craues not the death of a sinner deed in that in all ages of the world he hath sent out messengers to warne them to goe by the way of death so that now if any man perish it is because he stops his eares at the warning of the watchman of God for thou canst not say but Moses and the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles and Preachers haue met thee in the way of thy sinne and warned thee many a time by the word of the Lord that if thou walke on that way thou shalt assuredly dye where thou passing by them all rushest headlong after the lusts of thy flesh and so thou perishest and thy blood shall be vpon thine owne head As the Apostle to the preceding exhortation annexed an argument a debito from that which we are bound to doe so now hee subioynes another argument partly a damno from the losse wee incurre if wee doe it not in these words if yee liue after the flesh yee shall dye and partly a commodo from the vantage we shall reape if we doe it in these words if yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit yee shall liue If wee were such men as wee should be the former exhortation That the
his sonnes are his Heyres and yet the inheritance enioyed of many is not the lesse Neither are we to thinke this impossible for seeing the Lord hath endued the Sunne in the firmament with this propertie that albeit the light thereof be communicated vnto many yet is it not the lesse in it selfe plurium oculos pascit Aug. de verb. dom in Euan. Ioan. ser 64. tamen tanta est quanta erat illi pascuntur illa non minuitur it feedes the eyes of many they are nourished and it is not diminished may wee not much more thinke that the heauenly light communicated to many shall for all that not be impared In earthly inheritances it is so the moe be partakers of them the lesse they are but it is not so in the heauenly there needes no strife among the brethren for diuision of the inheritance for the rich portion of one shall be no preiudice to another Neyther shall vvee that are called to be the sonnes of They who were borne in the first age of the world shall not be perfected without vs. Heb. 11. 40. God in this last age of the world suffer any preiudice that many hundred yeares before vs some haue bin entred heires of that kingdome God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be perfected Adam the first that euer was made the sonne of God by creation and afterward the first sonne of God also by regeneration together with the rest of those faithfull Patriarches that followed him hath in regard of yeares long before vs inherited the promises yet shall it not preiudge them who in the last age of the world are called to the fellowship of the faith of Christ yea hee that shall be the last borne sonne of GOD in the earth by regeneration shall also be partaker of this priuiledge of the inheritance And this should greatly encourage vs to serue our God considering that how euer many of our brethren be entred before vs whose example should confirme vs yet the portion prepared for vs shall not be the lesser There is also another difference for in the earthly inheritances In earthly inheritances the Father dyes or the sonne inherit but here the sonne must dye or else he cannot inherit Psal 102. 26. the Father must first die before the sonne come to the full possession thereof but in the heauenly we our selues must die that we may possesse the inheritance For our Father is the auncient of dayes the heauens are the works of his hands they shall perish but hee doth remaine they shall waxe olde as doth a garment but he is the same and his yeares shall not faile He is the Father of eternity in whom there cannot fall so much as a shadow of change farre lesse is he subiect to death but as for vs by suffering death we must enter into our kingdome we cannot see him so long as we liue nor be satisfied with his image till we awake therefore should the day of death be a ioyfull day vnto vs because it is the Psal 17. 15. day of our entrance to our inheritance Vnnaturall worldlings reioyce at the death of their Parents because by it they come to the heritage they carry merriest hearts within them when they put on their blackest garments but as for vs we should reioyce at the day of our owne death it is not the day of our sorrow as naturall men accounts it but the day of our delight in the which we enter into the fruition of our heauenly inheritance He cals vs not onely the heyres of God but annexed heyres Theophilact with Iesus Christ that so he may shew Nos grandes futuros haeredes that we are to be great heyres The Lord Iesus hath Christs twofold right to the inheritance and how in the second onely we are annexed with him a two-fold right to his Fathers inheritance one by his eternall generation and so he is the heyre of God in a manner proper and peculiar to himselfe onely the other hee hath by conquest for by the merit of his death he hath conquered eternall life for all his brethren and this right he communicates vnto vs whereby we also become heyres annexed with him in the first he admits no companion in the second he cals vs to be partakers with him And this serues vnto vs not onely for a speciall comfort How all these great mercies should prouoke vs to walke worthy of our heauenly vocation in the houre of tentation and day of death as wee marked before but should also prouoke vs to answere the heauenly vocation by a holy disposition seeing wee are the sonnes of God shall wee not resemble his image seeing wee are called to be heyres of an heauenly inheritance shall we any more minde earthly things Farre be it from vs that wee should be prophane like Esau who sould his birth-right Gen. 25. 2 Tim. 4. Phil. 3. 8. 9. for a mease of pottage or like Demas wee should forsake the fellowship of our brethren and imbrace this present world but let vs rather with the holy Apostle account all things to be but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge and fellowship of our Lord Iesus Seeing Christ must be our comfort in death when all other comforts will forsake vs let vs make him our ioy and pleasure in life that so both in life and death he may bean aduantage vnto vs for these things for which miserable worldlings forsake their God shall in the end forsake them Let a couetous man see in the houre of his death those treasures of gold and siluer which he sought in his life more than God and they shall be no more pleasure to him than was those thirty peeces of siluer to Iudaâ— vvhich hee tooke in exchange of Iesus Christ Present a spoonefull of Wine to the drunkard whose belly was his God in his life time and hee shall not be able to receiue it Let the harlot stand at that time in the sight of the whoremonger she may encrease his sorrow and terrifie his conscience but shall not render him comfort Yet these are the strange Gods after which most part of the world goes a whooring but let vs not cast in our portion among them we are partakers of the heauenly vocation called to be the sonnes and daughters of the liuing God blessed shall we be if we walke worthy of our calling For Sathans silly offers are not to be compared to these high mercies wherunto God hath called vs in Christ Ioh. 14. 15. Heb. 2. 11. Math. 17. 5. For we see here whereunto we are called by adoption we are made the sonnes of God and brethren of Christ of rebels we are made the seruants of God yea more than that the friends of God hence forth call I not you seruants but friends yea more than friends he hath made vs brethren he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all
the Apostle layes for a most sure ground of comfort that so wee might change all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience we might say to the Lord with Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee casting the Ioh. 21. 15. burthen of all the rest of our feares grieses and tentations vpon the Lord who cares for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for a praemunire all câ—mes for the best The Souldier with courage enters into the battell vnder Other men hazards vnder hope but the Christian runs as sure to obtaine hope to obtaine the victory the Maâ—â—ner with boldnesse commits himselfe to the stormy seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazards in his calling yet are they vncertaine venturers and knowes not the end but the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for he knowes that the God of peace shall shortly tread Rom. 16. 20. Sathan vnder his feet What then shall not he with courage enter into the battell wherein he is made sure of the victory before he sight knowing that all the warriours of Christ shal be more than conquerours through him if wee will onely 2 Chron. 20. 17. stand still we shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gideon with his three hundred fought against the great host of Midian without feare because he was sure of victory Dauid made hast ranne to encounter with Goliah because he was perswaded that God would deliuer him into his hands The Israelites were not afraid to enter into the Riuer of Iordane because they saw the Arke of God before them deuiding the waters And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his tentations notwithstanding that the word of God goes before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer falles out shal come for the best to him The Lord encrease vs and make vs to abound more and more in the loue of our God for perfect loue casts out feare the Lord strengthen our faith that through these mistie cloudes of affliction which now compasse vs we may see that comfortable end which God in his word hath discouered vnto vs. And to this effect we must beware of the subtile slights One of Sathans slights is to cause vs to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings of Sathan who to the end that he may spoile vs of this comfort in trouble endeauours by all meanes either to quench the light of God vtterly in our mindes or at least to darken and obscure it by precipitation of our vnbeleeuing harts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings and to measure our selues in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end whereof it comes to passe that our hearts being What inconueniences arise from this precipitation tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations like trees of the forrest shaken with the winde we hasten in our necessities to be our prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers and euery way we become the caruers of our owne condition We haue so much the more neede to beware of this precipitation because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord As we may see in Dauid who being in extreame danger in the Wildernesse of Maon said in his feare that all men were lyers Is not this a great blasphemie to say that the promises which the Lord made to him by Samuel were but lyes and in his other extremities hee is not ashamed to confesse that hee thought that God had forgot to be mercifull and had shut vp Psal 39. 9. his tender mercy in displeasure but when he saw the end then hee was compelled to accuse himselfe and giue glory vnto God I should haue beene dumbe and not opened my mouth Psal 116. 10. because thou didst it and againe I said in my feare all men are lyers for notwithstanding all Samuels promises I looked for nothing but death but now considering the deliuerance I must say pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Psal 116. 13. Saints Seeing this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and Hee that will iudge of Lazarus on the dunghill shall think him more miserable than the rich Glutton fall may we not feare least it carry vs to the like inconuenience vnlesse wee learne to beware of it in time let vs not therefore iudge of the works of God before they be ended If we should look to Lazarus on the doung-hill full of byles and sores hauing no comfort but from the dogs and compare him with the rich Glutton clothed in purple and fairing daintily euery day what can we iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet if wee â—arrie till the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus be conuayed to Abrahams bosome and the rich Glutton be gone to his place then shal the truth appeare manifestly All things worke together for the best to them that loue God Let vs therefore learne to measure the euent of things not by their present condition but by the prediction of Gods word let vs cleaue But wee shall best iudge of the workes of God if we â—arrie till they be ended to his promise and waite on the vision which hath his owne time appoinâ—ed it shall speake at the last and shall not lye though it tarry let vs wait for it it shall surely come and not stay let vs goe into the Sanctuary of God and consider the end there shall we learne that there is no peace to the wicked Esay 48. 22. howsoeuer they flourish for a time and that it cannot be but well with them who loue the Lord Marke the vpright man Psal 37. 37. and behold the iust the end of that man is peace but the transgressours shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off Thus both in the troubles of the Godly and prosperity of the wicked we should suspend our iudgement till we see the end All things worke together Marke the singular priuiledge Gods wonderfull wisedom in causing things of so contrarie qualities to agree to doe one worke of the Christian noâ— onely afflictions but all other things whatsoeuer vvorke for the best vnto him and not onely so but they worke together Many working instruments are there in the world vvhose course is not one they communicate not counsels yea their intentions oftentimes are contrary yet the Lord bringeth all their vvorks vnto this one end the good of those who loue him vvhere euer they be in regard of place vvhat euer in regard of persons yea howsoeuer disagreeing among themselues yet are they so ruled by the prouident power of the supreame gouernour our heauenly Father that all of them workes together vnto the good of them that loue
which runneth into it so he that vvould proceed from Election to Glorification let him follow this Calling vvhich is so to call it a riuer flowing out of the brasen mountaines of Gods eternall Election running perpetually vpward till it enter into the heauen of heauens vvhich doe altogether ouerflow vvith that great and vnbounded Ocean of diuine Glory but vvee are still to remember that vvee speake now of the inward Calling for the lincke◠of this Chaine are so comely framed by that most skilfull Artificer that they are all of a like compasse none of them larger nor narrower than another so that this Calling doth extend to no more nor fewer than those vvhom God hath chosen This inward calling is the donation of Faith by the What the inward calling is preaching of the Gospell or communication of the sauing grace of Iesus by vvhich vvee are moued to answere the Lord and follow the heauenly vocation for as the Lord by the preaching of the Gospell offers vnto all that are in the Church visible righteousnesse and life by Christ if they vvill repent and beleeue vvherein consists the outward Calling so by his holy Spirit hee giueth to his Elect children iustifying Faith by vvhich he openeth their hearts as hee did the heart of Lidia to receiue the grace offered by the Gospell and herein consists the inward Calling The vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhereby the Apostle expresseth it In this Calling there is a taking of some leauing of others signifieth to euocate and choose out some from among others this shall make the greatnesse of Gods mercy toward vs appeare the more clearely if wee doe consider that vve and the reprobate were alike by nature borne blinderebels and transgressors from the wombe and did vvalke on vvith them in the same course of disobedience vvhich leadeth to damnation but it pleased God to call vs out of their fellowship and enter vs in a better course that vve might be saued A notable example whereof vve haue in the calling of Lot out of Sodome the Lord hauing concluded to consume Sodome with fire for her abhominable filthinesse he first of all sent two Angels to call Lot out of it but Lot not knowing the danger lingred and delayed to follow their calling till at the length they put hands vnto him and forced him to goe out but when he was set vpon the mountaine and knew the fearefull destruction of Sodome then no doubt he acknowledged the wonderfull mercy which God had shewed vpon him it is euen so with vs we are here soiourning in a Sodome God hath taken vs out from amōg the children of wrath as he tooke Lot out of Sodome vvhich God will destroy and wee haue our conuersation among those vvhose portion shall be in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone from which the Lord being purposed to saue vs hath sent his Angels to vs not two but manie Ministers of the Gospell of Grace exhorting vs to flye from the wrath which is to come but alas because we know not the danger we flye slowly and delay to follow the heauenly vocation but in that day wherein we shall be set vpon the mountaine of Gods saluation and shall stand at the right hand of Iesus and heare that fearefull condemnation of the wicked Depart from me c. when we shal see the earth open and swallow them then shall we reioyce and prayse the mercie of our God O happy time vvherein the Lord sent his messengers among vs to call vs from the fellowship of the damned There is no difference by nature betweene the Elect and No difference by nature betweene elect men reprobate till our calling make it reprobate neyther in inward nor outward disposition till God make it by grace Paul as bloudy a persecuter as euer vvas Domitian or Iulian. Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a Worldling as was that rich Glutton damned to hell The elect and reprobate men before Grace make a difference are like two men vvalking in one iourney vvith one minde and one heart like Eliah and Elisha walking and talking together when a chariot of fire did incontinent seperate them and Eliah is taken vp into heauen Elisha left vpon the earth not vnlike is it when the vnlooked for calling of God commeth and seperateth those two who before were walking together yea running in the same excesse of ryot the one changing the course of his life returneth back again to the Lord from whom he had fallen whereas the other not touched with the same Calling meruailes that his former companion hath forsaken him and walketh stil on stubbornly in the former course of his sinnes to his condemnation Apply this vnto your selues and see whether this effectuall Calling hath seperated you in your conuersation from the wicked or not an euident argument that ye shall be seperated from them in their condemnation Blessed is he that Psal 1. walketh not in the counsell of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornefull And if wee finde after tryall that the Lord hath called The time of our calling is to vs as the deliuerance from Egipt or the yeare of Iubily to Israel vs then should vvee alway shew forth his prayses vvho hath translated vs from darknesse into his meruailous light The Lord shewed a great mercie to Israell vvhen hee deliuered them out of the house of bondage he set the remembrance of that benefit in the forefront of his law as a bond euer oblieging them vnto thankfulnesse but their bondage was not so horrible as ours Pharaoh oppressed their bodies and compelled them to worke in bricke and clay yet their spirits were free to sigh and crie to GOD for the bondage but here so long as wee were the slaues of Sathan hee compelled vs to vvorke the abhominable vvorkes of darknesse and vncleannesse and therewithall did so captiue our spirits that wee could not so much as cry and sigh vnto God for the bondage and therefore our deliuerance should neuer goe out of our remembrance and our hearts and mouthes should euer be filled with the prayses of our Redeemer when we think of this yeare of Iubilie wherin he hath opened the doore of the prison and set vs at libertie as the freemen of God who were the captiued and bond-slaues of Sathan The Author of this calling is the Lord euen hee who Calling being a new creation is onely wrought by God calles things which are not and makes them to be Calling is a new creation and the first resurrection The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darknesse is he who hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Iesus Christ It is he who creates in vs a new heart and puts in our bowels a new spirit that we may walke in his statutes As man when hee was not could not helpe to create himselfe
vvord of God her sentence is diuine and wee are to regard it if otherwise shee accuse vpon vvrong information it is the errour of conscience and we are to remedie it by sending conscience to seeke the warrant of her sentence out of the word of God It is very expedient that vvee put a difference betweene Conscience error of conscience to be distinguished conscience and the errour of conscience vvhere conscience discernes not according to the Law of the supreame Iudge it cannot but erre eyther in being ouer large and then shee pronounceth those things lawfull vvhich are vnlawfull or ouer strait and so she declares those things vnlawfull vvhich are lawfull for if this be not obserued vve shall be disquieted while wee hearken to the errours of conscience as if they vvere the iust and lawfull accusations of conscience Sometime againe conscience presents to men sins which Why the Lord leaues remembrance of a sin in the conscience after that it is pardoned they haue done many yeares agoe and vvhereof they haue repented for vvee are to know that albeit the Lord after repentance forgiue the guiltinesse of sinne yet he will haue the memorie thereof to remaine in that conseruing facultie of conscience called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may both serue to humble vs for the euill vve haue done as also to preserue vs from sinne for the time to come And sinne this manner of way retayned in the memory I compare it to thornes and bryers which in the middest of a garden are hurtfull and hinder the growth of good fruit but being put in the hedge are profitable to preserue them so sinne as long as it is in Sin euill in the affect on but good in the memory the affection is very pernitious for then it chokes the seed of the word of God in them but being taken out of the affection and set in the memory is as a hedge to the soule to preserue it from wilde and raging beasts that would come in and deuoure it thus for our humiliation the Lord keepes in vs a remembrance euen of those sinnes vvhich hee hath pardoned but so that vvith the remembrance of the euill which we haue done our conscience doth also excuse and comfort vs with the remembrance of our vnfained repentance toward God And if otherwise the conscience accuse vs for those euill deeds which we haue done and whereof we haue not repented it is of Gods great mercy toward vs vvho by inward 1 Cor. 11. 31. trouble wakens vs to iudge our selues now that wee should not be iudged of the Lord in the world to come As this is the comfort of Gods chosen so doth it point As no creature hath place to accuse the godly so by the contrary all shall stand vp and accuse the wicked Malach. 3. 5. Ioh. 5. 45. Luke 9. 5. Iosh 24. 27. Deut. 4. 26. Iam. 5. 3. Math. 23. 3. vnto vs the contrary miserable estate of the reprobate for there is nothing in heauen and earth which shall not stand vp against them to accuse them the Lord himselfe shall come neere them as a swift witnesse against them O miserable are they to whom the Lord is a Partie a Iudge and a Witnesse as our Sauiour said to the Iewes Moses and all the seruants of God shall be witnesses against them yea the dust of the feete of those who brought the glad tidings of peace shall witnesse against them the stones of the field said Ioshua the heauens and earth said Moses their moth-eaten garments said S. Iames yea they themselues said our Sauiour shall vvitnesse against themselues vvoe be vnto them they must be presented to iudgement but shall haue none eyther in heauen or earth to speake for them nothing vvithout them nothing within them which shall not be a witnesse against them when they are iudged they shall be condemned and their owne conscience shall say righteous is the Lord and iust are his iudgements It is God that iustifies Of this ye may see clearely that The arguments of our comfort are not brought from our innocencie but Gods mercy Iustification as the Apostle vseth it here is a iudicial terme for he oppones it to accusation and condemnation but leauing that because vvee marked it before in the poynt of Iustification we will adde this more that the Apostle brings not the reason of his comfort from his owne innocencie but from Gods mercy he saith not there is nothing in mee worthy to be accused or to be condemned but his comfort is that whateuer it be God hath pardoned it This is it that breedes vnquietnesse and perturbation in many weake consciences they seeke vvithin themselues that which should commend them to God as if they could not be saued vnlesse they were perfect this commeth of Sathans singular subtiltie who labours to creepe in betweene vs and our warrant as if our owne innocencie were the warrant of our saluation and not Gods mercy nor Christs merit It is true It becomes vs for our greater comfort to nourish within our selues the tokens of Grace but to conclude that because they are weake therefore wee cannot be saued it is Sathans sophistrie with which wee should not suffer our soules to be abused Verse 34. Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. THe Apostle insists in his particular triumph The death resurrection ascention and glorification of Christ assures vs of immunity from condemnation against sinne and he demaunds now who shall condemne it may be as we heard there be some bold to accuse but is there any saith the Apostle that hath power to condemne none at all and that he proues from the death resurrection exaltation and intercession of Christ for as all these were done for vs so do euery one of them render vnto vs the sweet fruit of consolation Of the comfort arising from Christs death we haue spoken before The next is his resurrection we haue comfort saith the The great cōfort wee haue of Christs resurrection Apostle in his death but much more comfort in his resurrection therefore saith the Apostle It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe for if wee looke to Iesus dying albeit in death hee shewed himselfe a powerfull Sauiour yet in his death his glory was greatly obscured vnder the couering of mortalitie which againe in his resurrection was more cleerely manifested for hee was declared mightily to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection and hath made Rom. 1. 4. vs sure of the remission of our sinnes for he had not come out of the prison of the graue if hee had not payed the vttermost 1 Cor. 15. 17. farthing of our debt If Christ saith the Apostle be not yet risen then are we yet in our sinnes thanks be to God we may turne it